Michigan's Best Brewery: MLive heads to Tri-City Brewing Co.

BAY CITY, MI — Tucked in the back of a warehouse
along Water Street in Bay City, it's easy to overlook the front door of the Tri-City Brewing Co. taproom. Plenty of folks find it anyway.

"People have told us it's Bay City's hidden gem, but I don't
think we can say that for long," said Kevin Peil, Tri-City Brewing Co.
president and founder.

These days, couples drop by with maps in hand, on a trip to seek out the taproom located at 3020 N. Water.

"People come from all over the state, they stop in Bay City
just because of the taproom," said Tri-City's Jay Green.

The Tri-City Brewing Co. began brewing in 2007 and opened
the taproom in January 2012.

"The taproom helped connect with people locally. They come
to get beer they can't get anywhere else," Peil said. Many of the company's beers are
only available to customers who visit the taproom.

Tri-City Brewing Co. is one of 38 breweries that MLive's
John Gonzalez is visiting in the search for Michigan's Best Brewery. The MLive team is visiting Midland Brewing Co. at noon, Tri-City at 1:30
p.m., Barts Brewery at 804 E. Midland in Bay City at 2:45 p.m. and Frankenmuth Brewery at 4:15 p.m. on Saturday, Sept 21.

Tri-City Brewing Co. was MLive's reader poll winner. The poll was based on nominations from the readers.

Tri-City Brewing Co. is launching a Peach Hefeweizen
Saturday to coincide with MLive's tour. It's one of many varieties the company produces.

Head brewer Paul Popa "brews what he is in the mood for,"
Peil said.

Some of the popular varieties are Black IPA and Vanilla Imperial
Stout. Other varieties Tri-City brews are aged in used gin, bourbon
or wine wood barrels.

"We make beers over the full palate of styles," Peil said.

The company has expanded it distribution of bottled beer and it is available on store shelves at Meijer and other locations in Michigan and Ohio. Currently, they
distribute four beers year-round and one seasonally.

The brewery's bestseller is Hell's Half Mile, which refers to a notorious street of bars and brothels in Bay City during the lumber era. Another popular Tri-City beer is Giant Slayer.

"Bay City was a mecca of breweries," said Peil. "Our first
beer was Phoenix Golden Ale that was a tribute to the Phoenix Brewing Co."

The Tri-City taproom doesn't serve food, but patrons bring in subs
and pizza or order food from Hooligan's Pub next door. There is live music
every Wednesday night and vinyl night on Thursdays.

"It's a cool place to hang out, I've heard people compare it
to a coffee shop," Peil said.